Walter Ahlström Foundation donates €3 million to Aalto University

The sustainability transition in industry requires bold research initiatives and new sustainable industrial solutions.

For this reason, the Walter Ahlström Foundation is donating €3 million to Aalto University to establish a professorship in sustainable industrial production. The Foundation announced the donation at its centenary celebration on 22 April.

‘We at the Walter Ahlström Foundation have, for generations, supported visionary work for the benefit of Finnish industry and the future. Now Finland and the world have only a couple of decades to develop the technologies and create the markets needed for industrial transformation in order to halt environmental pollution and the overconsumption of natural resources in time. Aalto plays an important role in finding solutions, which is why we wanted to accelerate this work through our donation,’ says Markku Wilenius, Chair of the Walter Ahlström Foundation.

The donated professorship will be based at the Aalto University School of Engineering and will particularly strengthen teaching and research in industrial production within the fields of energy and mechanical engineering. At its core is a strong understanding of sustainability and its integration into industrial production and competitive industry.

‘The professorship in sustainable industrial production will generate research-based knowledge and new expertise that society and businesses need to accelerate the sustainable energy transition. Our warm thanks to the Walter Ahlström Foundation for this donation,’ says Kari Tammi, Dean of the School of Engineering.

‘This donation strengthens Aalto’s role as a pioneer in energy research in Finland. I would like to thank the Walter Ahlström Foundation for this significant contribution and its long-term support – and, of course, extend Aalto community’s warm congratulations on its 100th anniversary,’ says Ilkka Niemelä, President of Aalto University.

The professorship will be part of Aalto University’s new House of Energy competence centre, which brings together the University’s teaching and research related to energy. The centre’s primary aim is to accelerate the sustainable energy transition.

Walter Ahlström established the foundation bearing his name in 1926 to support the postgraduate education of young Master of Science graduates in engineering. The Foundation awards grants to talented young professionals in the fields of forest industry, electrical engineering, power engineering and metal industry. In recent years, the Foundation has focused on supporting doctoral research through incentive grants.

Through its funding, the Foundation aims to support high-quality research and, in particular, research pathways that also lead to innovation. Funding decisions emphasise the broad applicability of research topics and results within Finnish industry and business.

Walter Ahlström Foundation homepage

More information:

Markku Wilenius
Professor, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Walter Ahlström Foundation
markku.wilenius@utu.fi

Kari Tammi
Dean, Aalto University School of Engineering
dean-eng@aalto.fi 

Ilkka Niemelä
President, Aalto University
president@aalto.fi